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b. in the parish of
Llaniestyn
,
Llŷn, Caerns.
He was educated at
Botwnnog grammar school
, together with his cousin
JohnOwen
, later
bishop of S. Davids
(q.v.)
. He proceeded to
Jesus College
,
Oxford
, and took honours in classics. From his youth he was
interested in music
. About
1878
he became
headmaster of a private school
in
Oswestry
. The school was successful and developed in
1883
into the
Oswestry High School
, which became well known, and by its excellent record attracted pupils from all parts of
Wales
, many of whom became leaders in the public life of
Wales
. In
OswestryOwen
became a
justice of the peace
, a keen
politician
, and a
leader in the fight for Disestablishment
. From
1890 to 1893
he was
co-secretary of the joint conferences
, which framed the various county schemes under the
Welsh Intermediate Education Act
of
1889
. In
1896
the
Central Welsh Board
was established and in
Feb. 1897Owen
was appointed the first
chief inspector
for the Board, an office which he held with exceptional ability and conscientiousness until
1915
, when he was compelled to resign owing to a painful illness, under which he had suffered long and bravely. [He m.
S. A.Jones
, daughter of
JohnJones
who was at one time
Mayor of Oswestry
]. He d. at
Colwyn
Bay
,
14 March 1920
, and was buried in
Llandrillo-yn-Rhos
cemetery.